A news-story filled by EETimes web-site claims that Sony Corporation has begun to produce microprocessors named Cell in its foundry in Nagasaki, Japan. The information is said to come from Sony executives, however, no additional details were revealed about the chip and trial production.

Cell microprocessors and their micro-architecture were jointly developed by Sony, IBM and Toshiba are projected to be the base for Sony’s PlayStation3 console, while simplified or more powerful versions of the Cell chips will serve as the base for consumer electronics or more complex applications.

The Cell microprocessors are expected to unleash massive computing power – something multimedia environments need tremendously – but will require some new approaches in programming for the central processing units. With that given, it is essential for Sony to release workstations long time before the PlayStation 3 consoles hit the market so that to make sure game developers bite the technology and deliver their titles by the time when the PlayStation 3 goes live. Earlier this month Sony executives confirmed at the E3 show that workstations based on the Cell will be out before the year end. Initially movie makers are likely to try the technology to make their work faster.

The first commercial Cell processors used in the forthcoming workstations will be made in IBM’s foundry in East Fishkill, New York. The chips pilot-produced at Sony’s fab in Nagasaki, Japan, are supposed to go inside Sony’s next-generation PlayStation3 console.

Construction of the 300mm test line began in Spring 2003 on the first floor of Sony’s Nagasaki Fab 2. The clean-room is ready and partially completed production facilities are processing wafers. Setting up the equipment will be finished by the end of 2004. Sony and its game subsidiary have thus far invested about $1 billion in the 300mm fab to establish a 65nm process. Sony has also invested approximately $321 million in IBM’s 300mm silicon-on-insulator line at East Fishkill fab. Once the 65nm SOI process is established there, Sony plans to duplicate the process at the Nagasaki 300mm fab.